Texas’ forgotten redistricting fight set to resume

Paul J. Weber, The Associated Press

Published
12:46 pm CDT, Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Gov. Rick Perry, right, talks with Speaker of the House Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, left, during a ceremonial signing of a water fund bill, Tuesday in Austin, Texas. The legislative session ended Monday, but Perry immediately called lawmakers back for a special session. less

Gov. Rick Perry, right, talks with Speaker of the House Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, left, during a ceremonial signing of a water fund bill, Tuesday in Austin, Texas. The legislative session ended Monday, but ... more

Photo: Eric Gay

Photo: Eric Gay

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Gov. Rick Perry, right, talks with Speaker of the House Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, left, during a ceremonial signing of a water fund bill, Tuesday in Austin, Texas. The legislative session ended Monday, but Perry immediately called lawmakers back for a special session. less

Gov. Rick Perry, right, talks with Speaker of the House Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, left, during a ceremonial signing of a water fund bill, Tuesday in Austin, Texas. The legislative session ended Monday, but ... more

Photo: Eric Gay

Texas’ forgotten redistricting fight set to resume

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AUSTIN — Texas Republicans have spent two years and at least $1 million fighting to restore voting maps drawn by the GOP-dominated Legislature that were declared illegal in court.

Now, suddenly, they’re content with accepting as permanent the once hotly-disputed maps a federal court redrew to get the state through last year’s elections.

Conservatives say they haven’t given up on the issue. However, following an election cycle thrown into tumult by legal wrangling over redistricting maps, Republicans in the Legislature began working Tuesday with the goal of making court-drawn voting maps permanent ahead of the 2014 campaigns.

It’s the only unfinished business Gov. Rick Perry has ordered in a special 30-day session — at least so far.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, tea party legislators and other Republicans want the governor to demand that lawmakers also reconsider tighter abortion restrictions, more relaxed gun laws, and voucher plans that expand school choice for parents and students. All of those faltered during the 140-day regular session that ended Monday.

Now that he has called lawmakers back, Perry is widely expected to give them more to do than simply hammer out voting maps. But in brief comments to reporters Tuesday, the governor said he hasn’t decided whether to add anything to the special session’s agenda.

“I’m not going to anticipate anything until we’ve had a chance to look at all the pieces of legislation.” he said.